On the Thanksgiving


Coptic Christians in the US talking much about eating turkey in the Thanksgiving, as they started already the Nativity fast. The issue is not about a day off from the fast. The issue is more deep. Do we know what we do? I believe if I asked St. Athanasius or St. Cyril what do you think about that? They would say This was not the Christianity which we defended it or even exiled for its sake. Do we as Christians understand the mystery of Incarnation, do we really understand “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jn.3:16.

The whole issue needs to be revisited. Why we are Christians? What our practices reflect from our faith? What is our relationship to the season in which the church is enjoying? Are our homes a sanctuary for God? Is the Name of God mentioned in our homes?

Abanoub Aziz Narouz, 14 years 

While we are debating about eating the Glorious turkey, Abanoub Aziz Narouz, 14 years is witnessing for Christ today after his parents  found his body killed and tortured severely as He committed a crime of being “ A Christian” God Have mercy upon us and forgive us our sins. Thank you o Lord for allowing us to carry your name, in which we are not worthy. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The themes of Sunday Liturgical Readings in the Coptic Orthodox Church

Reading of Sundays Excerpted from many sermons by The V. Rev. Fr. Athanasius K. Farag Sunday reading aims to show us the work of the Holy Trinity in the creation, redemption and glorification  of the human, it is called the economia of the Holy Trinity. Month of Tut In the first month of Tut we read the love of God the Father who called all for repentance “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Ti.2:4 Month of Babah In the second month of Babah, the churches tells us “Who is this Saviour?” we see him through his work miracles of healing the paralyzed, casting out demons, raising the dead. Month of Hatour In Hatour we see who is the Saviour through His word which is planted in our hearts. Month of Keyhak •       All from Luke chapter 1: the scenes which accompanied the Nativity season Month of Toba the incarnation of the Only Begotten Son who called us from darkness to the light, who walked on earth and we saw His gl
Read more

The Biblical Background to the kneeling prayer which is prayed today on the Feast of Pentecost

Explanation of the Kneeling Prayers (“Salaat el Sagda”) on the Feast of the Pentecost by Fr. Bishoy Lamie Mikhail June 8, 2014   Every year on the Feast of the Pentecost, the Coptic Orthodox Church practices “Salaat el Sagda,” or, the “Kneeling Prayer,” in the evening. This important prayer has a deep meaning, as it explains for us the important role of the descent of the Holy Spirit in our salvation and life as a church. “In the Old Testament Pentecost was the feast which occurred fifty days after Passover. As the Passover feast celebrated the exodus of the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt, so Pentecost celebrated God’s gift of the ten commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. In the new covenant of the Messiah, the Passover event takes on its new meaning as the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection, the “exodus” of men from this sinful world to the Kingdom of God. And in the New Testament as well, the Pentecostal feast is fulfilled and made new by the coming of the
Read more

Excerpts from St. Cyril of Alexandria commentary on The Book of Jonah

I summarized some points worth mentioning by our great father St. Cyril of Alexandria :  1- The book of Jonah is a "shadow" to the "mystery of the Incarnation of our Saviour". 2- We should not apply the whole story to Jesus, as for example "he was sent to preach to the Ninevites, but tried to flee from the face of God, and proved reluctant about his mission; the Son also was sent by the God and Father to preach to the nations, but did not lack enthusiasm for his ministry, nor seek to flee from the face of the God and Father."  3- the story is meant to be a comparison between how the gentiles accepted the preaching while the Jews rejected it "what happened was by way of condemnation of Israel; they were convicted of being forward, unresponsive, paying little heed to the laws of God.After all, at a single prophet's preaching . the Ninevites were instantly brought around to a sense of obligation to repent, despite suffering from extreme deception
Read more